The Fourth Tendo
by Thrythlind
Summary: Silk Tendo died far from her family with a strange companion. This companion later appears on the Tendo doorstop with a letter declaring her as an adopted Tendo. How will this change things?
1. Daughter

Silk frowned as she watched the "girl" staring at her from across the fire. Even in this disguise, she was certainly not human. The girl had pale silver hair, though considering her own dark blue hair that was a minor concern. The hair contrasted with the dusky grey skin the creature had. Her face was attentive as she watched Silk prepare her spell materia for the day. She was learning fast, as the current disguise she wore proved. Silk wondered how long it would be before she regretted leaving the creature alive rather than killing it.  
Silk coughed slightly and frowned after gaining control of herself. That cough was becoming more insistent. She almost immediately noted Silk watching her, probably wondering if that sound had been another word. Silk corrected that as she looked to the girl and saw a hint of worry in her eyes. She frowned suspiciously and twisted her arm about.  
"Mistress good?" she asked.  
"I'm fine," Silk said angrily, though she didn't quite agree, most of her injuries had healed well enough, but there was a long, angry red gash running the length of her arm.  
"Is hurt?" the girl asked, apparently not hearing the denial. She stood up and started to cross the camp site toward Silk.  
"Stop!" Silk snapped jabbing a finger towards the girl. The dark girl stopped and looked to her uncertainly before sitting down again as Silk gestured at her. She stared at Silk, fidgetting nervously, and a worried expression plane on her face. Silk didn't trust any of it, the girl's species had a rather well deserved reputation for deceipt and destruction.  
"Not let me help?" the girl asked. Her language skills were improving daily, both Japanese and Mandarin, in no time at all she'd be saying complete sentences. She was becoming slightly dangerous.  
"You're just like a glob of tar," Silk said irritably. "Almost as black and just as sticky."  
  
********  
  
"The cough is getting worse, Mistress," Tarre said. She had settled on the English version of the word for the creature's name. A short, harsh word that could quite easily be converted into something of a swear word. Silk wasn't pronouncing it quite right, but she didn't care.  
"I can tell that," Silk said. She'd given up on reaching a city big enough to have a hospital that could treat her. Her home village was closer anyway, they would have healers to handle this disease. Her own meager herbalist skills and healercraft were having little more than a delaying effect on the demonic disease.  
A particularly heavy series of coughs started to drive the woman to her knees, but Tar was there to hold her quickly.  
"Mistress," Tarre said hopefully. "I can carry you where you want to go."  
"No!" Silk said impatiently after a moment's consideration. "I'll walk." Another benefit, the village elders would probably recognize and kill Tar on sight, relieving her of the problem of deciding what to do with her.  
  
********  
  
The dark-skinned girl was hovering ever close to Silk as they walked on. Tarre wasn't certain what to do, the strong and powerful woman that had rescued her from those little green monsters no longer looked so strong and powerful. She was thin, leaning on a make-shift staff she had acquired, and wracked by painful sounding coughs. Her right arm hung weakly at her side, the veins visible with whatever poison or disease ran through her body. Every time Tarre suggested helping her, the Mistress told her not to.  
She was considering this when Silk wearily let herself down to the ground. Tar looked around, confused, the sun was still up and yet the Mistress was stopping? This hadn't happened before.  
"Mistress?" Silk asked, confused. The woman leaned against a rock and concentrated on breathing deeply.  
"I just need to rest a moment, Tarre," Silk said wearily. "We'll get back to walking in a few minutes." Tar sat and watched, the minutes stretched into an hour and Silk still hadn't woken up. She knew that the Mistress was in a hurry to get somewhere East, and that she needed to get there in time that whoever was there could help her. Sleeping like this was the last thing the Mistress needed.  
  
********  
  
"Wha..." Silk blinked weakly before coughing a little. She couldn't figure out at first why it seemed that she was moving despite having just woke up. Then she realized that someone was carrying her. Her eyes widened and she gasped as she realized who that had to be.  
"Mistress!" Tarre's voice called out cheerfully upon realizing that Silk was awake. She didn't stop moving forward.  
"What are you doing?" Silk asked, too tired and weak to put much of any emotion into it.  
"I...I know you said not to carry you mistress," Tarre said hesitantly, still moving forward. "B...but, you said you didn't have much time. You are too big for me to carry while flying, Mistress, and I couldn't hold you like that anyway." The girl sounded very sorrowful for the apparent failure.  
The girl, creature, she had to keep reminding herself of that, was actually carrying her in approximately the right direction. She hadn't tried to take Silk out somewhere and devour her while she was unconscious. She frowned and considered still telling Tar to set her down, but her beleagured body fought against that notion, and she let herself be carried further.  
"Mistress?" Tarre asked. Her voice faded back out as Silk went back to sleep.  
  
********  
  
"The cough is getting better, Mistress," Tarre said cheerily as she handed the herbal tea to Silk. Now that Silk let her do a number of things, mostly things that Silk was having too much trouble doing herself, she dived into proving herself useful. For the last three weeks of their journey, Silk didn't have the heart to explain why the cough was going away as she slowly drank the tea. She didn't want to say it outloud for her own benefit to a degree, but she wasn't coughing anymore because her body was giving out.  
~I'm not going to make it to the village,~ Silk though sadly. ~They couldn't help me now anyway.~ She glanced unhappily up at the girl that was helping her drink.   
The girl hadn't shown much more magical aptitude than the ability to take this strange disguise. Silk had at first assumed that she was hiding her power, but realized now that the girl was just a few decades too young to develop the magic that her kind normally were considered to have. She just had a few basic abilities like that shapechanging ability. And her fighting skill was mostly instinctual supplemented by what she had learned travelling with Silk these last two months. She wasn't a skilled fighter, though she was more than dangerous enough around normal animals and, Silk assumed, about ninety percent of the human population.  
"I want you to stop calling me Mistress," Silk said. Tar looked as if she had been slapped.  
"But..." Tarre started. Silk raised a hand, her left hand, the right was gone. Tarre had smelled the gangrene a week before, and Silk, realizing what the girl had detected from the description of the smell, told her to cut the arm off. She probably should have done that the moment she saw the demon claw mark had been infected, but she had thought she could make it to help and it wouldn't be necessary.  
"You've been loyal and caring of me all this time," Silk said. "I should have accepted your offer to carry me the first time."  
"But, it wouldn't have worked," Tarre said. "I could carry the weight, but my wings..." Silk interrupted her again with the effort of raising a hand.  
"I should have accepted the offer at least," Silk said. "I'll not continue to treat you with scorn over this. Quickly, I need you to find my three things."  
"Hai," Tarre said quickly, but nervously. She had a task now, but something in her "Mistress's" tone bothered her. Silk listed off three herbs and described them for Tarre thoroughly before finally sending the girl onto her task. It wouldn't take her more than three hours to collect everything she asked for, they were common herbs in the area, but it would give Silk the time do to what she needed to do.  
She sat up with difficulty and after some time of painfully digging through her pack had retrieved her pen and ink. Gripping the pen even seemed to bring flaming pain to Silk's hand, but she had to get through this.  
  
********  
  
"What do you need these herbs for, Mistress?" Tarre asked as she returned.  
"They make a wonderful tasting tea," Silk said weakly with a smirk.  
"Mistress?" Tarre said, not having a well-developed sense of humor yet. She was starting to worry that the woman's mind was slipping.  
"No more of that," Silk repeated. "I already told you no more of that."  
"But..." Tarre repeated. Silk made another effort to sit up, aided by Tarre as she did so. Silk accepted the help and then gestured toward the ground in front of her. Tarre immediately kneeled down in front of her  
"Tarre," Silk said weakly, but ritualistically. "I adopt you as my daughter." She leaned down to kiss the surprised girl's forehead. She struggled to straighten up again, silently commanding Tarre to remain where she was. "Tarre, you may refer to me as 'Mother.'"  
"Hai," Tarre said quietly.  
"Daughter," Silk said quietly. "I need help lying back down now." Instantly Tarre was at her side to help ease her down to a lying position. "Make yourself some tea, I think I'll just go to sleep now. Tomorrow morning I'll tell you where we'll be going."  
"Hai, Mi...Mother," Tarre said. She went to prepare the herbs she had collected and wondered why her...Mother had sent her away.  
  
********  
  
"You're going to want to avoid going any further this way," Silk said after having what resembled breakfast, a cup of medicinal tea.  
"But," Tarre pointed ineffectually in the direction they had been going.  
"I won't be in condition to lead you safely in that way," Silk said. She took a breath and continued. "My people will kill you on sight if I am not able to tell them otherwise, and the Phoenix People the same, more so if I'm with you. Those are the kindest options. The Musk are that way, and you would be a great prize to them, daughter." She stroked Tarre's cheek. "You are too weak to fight even their weakest warriors. You may as well go back to those goblins if that happens." Tarre paled as much as possible with her near-black skin.  
"But," Tarre said. "But...who is going to help you?"  
"I won't need it much past sunset tonight," Silk said sadly, hoping Tarre missed the implication.  
"That's...good, Mother," Tarre said, trying to smile. "Where are we going to go?"  
"You'll fly North," Silk said quietly. "Fly by night, never stay in your true form except when flying."  
"Hai," Tarre said, noting the urgency in that command.   
"When you have traveled for about two days," Silk continued. "Turn back again East and seek Japan. You've seen my map, you know where to look. Once there, never take your true form again unless it is absolutely necessary."  
"Hai, Mother," Tarre said. "But I can't carry you when I fly."  
"I'll be a lot smaller when you begin this journey," Silk said. Tarre blinked in confusion. "Go to Tokyo and find my husband and your sisters, the Tendo Dojo in Nerima, bring me to them and give them this letter." She indicated the paper on top of her pack.  
"Hai," Tarre said. She really didn't like the sound of any of this.  
"Tarre," Silk said hesitantly. She sat up and turned to face the West and stayed seated. "When the sunsets...this will be over, the pain will be finished. When that is done, there is an urn in my pack. I wish my ashes to be placed inside." Tarre gasped and looked to Silk stricken.  
"Y...you," Tarre whimpered.  
"I was already dying when I rescued you," Silk sighed. "There is nothing to stop it now. Just help me to watch the sun set, please?" Tarre sat on her knees next to Silk crying freely, but she nodded her head.  
  
********  
  
Soun had felt a sense of dread and loss for the last few weeks. He suspected why, but hoped against hope that he was wrong. That sense of loss, however, spiked as he opened the door to find a small and slim, grey-skinned girl with silver hair standing outside his door and clutching a simple clay urn that he recognized as if it were the most precious thing in the world.  
"Soun Tendo?" the girl asked tentatively. Soun grasped the doorframe to steady himself as he nodded. The girl reverentially presented him with the urn and a letter before kneeling down in front of him and bending her face to the ground.  
  
"My Love,  
I am sorry that I deceived you. I have robbed our daughters of their mother and you of your wife. All for the sake of a memory of glory days.  
I was not visiting family. I had a dream about a demon and I felt I needed to face it alone. I won the battle, and killed the demon, but it left a disease or poison that is killing me.  
Not much more strength, this hurts to write. The girl who should be with this note, I have adopted her as my daughter. Tarre is dark skinned, light-haired, not human. I hope the girls will accept a fourth sister and you a fourth daughter in place of a wife and mother. I hope you do, she has earned a family.  
  
Silk"  
  
Soun collapsed to the ground crying with the strange girl.  
Kasumi, ten years old, walked timidly around the corner to see her father crying on the ground next to some white-haired woman.  
"Father?" she asked, frightened. "What's wrong?" 


	2. Changes

Tarre stood across from her new family and sat there nervously, her head bowed, as the quiet stretched out. She didn't glance up, she didn't need to.   
The one she had been told was her new father was still crying loudly as the oldest of the girls, Kasumi, tried to comfort him, her face calm, though she glanced occasionally at Tarre.   
The brown-haired girl, Nabiki, didn't have any particular expression on her face, she had seemed happy until she learned the news that Tarre had brought, then her face had frozen, and mostly stayed frozen.   
The youngest, Akane, who had dark blue hair just like her Mother, was outright glaring at Tarre. It brought somewhat happy memories of the time just after she had been rescued by Silk.  
In fact all the girls reminded her of silk. Their smell, their behaviors in different ways, and their looks. She just hoped they would take her in.  
"I will honor my wife's final wishes," Soun said finally to the obvious disgust of Akane. It was hard to tell what Nabiki and Kasumi thought of the matter. "Welcome home, daughter."  
"Thank you, Father," Tarre said relieved and bowing. "I...I shall try to earn my keep."  
  
********  
  
"Do you need help, oneesama?" Tarre asked from the doorway of the kitchen.   
Kasumi glanced back and considered the offer for a moment, on the one hand it would mean giving up more of "her" domain to this new "sister." On the other hand it would make things a lot easier to have someone one hand with better reach than hair.  
"Why do you call me 'oneesama?'" Kasumi asked, putting off her decision.  
"You were here first, oneesama," Tarre said simply. Kasumi didn't argue the point.  
"Do you know how to cook?" Kasumi asked.  
"Hai," Tarre said with a soft and sad voice. "A little, Mother taught me."  
~Mother taught this girl to cook?~ Kasumi sounded surprised. "Okay..." Kasumi thought for a moment. "Can you cut those vegatables for me?"  
"Hai, oneesama," Tarre said cheerfully and proceeded to get to work on her assigned task. After a moment Kasumi interrupted her.  
"Wait, wait," Kasumi said, moving to stand by the larger girl.  
"Did I do something wrong, Oneesama?" Tarre asked.   
"I thought you said Mother taught you to cook," she said.  
"I watched her prepare the food," Tarre said. "And...when she couldn't...I..." Kasumi sighed and felt herself starting to slip. She needed to stay strong, for her sisters, for her father, and in the face of this outsider.  
"I see," Kasumi said sadly. She was about to send the girl away, but Tarre turned around of her own accord and started to leave.  
"I'll see to the laundry," she said and she sounded so disappointed that Kasumi changed her mind.  
"Wait," Kasumi said wearily. "Let's see what we have to work with." It was something her mother had told her when she was first learning to cook.  
"You mean," Tarre asked hesitantly. "You'll teach me?"  
"I guess so," Kasumi said.  
  
********  
  
"Tarre," Nabiki said, coming upon the dark-skinned girl outside doing the laundry. "Is my yellow dress done yet?" Three years, and the girl still looked the same, aside from the housedresses she had taken to wearing, or the long pony tail her hair was in.  
"Almost, Oneesan," Tarre called back.  
"Well, I need it for tonight," Nabiki said simply. "I'm going to a birthday party."  
"Hai, Oneesan," Tarre said. "How was school today?" Though Nabiki had already turned around.  
"She's not a servant, Nabiki," Kasumi lectured from where she lay on her stomach watching TV and doing her homework.  
Nabiki shrugged, not saying anything about her opinions of the girl. Apparent or otherwise.  
  
********  
  
"Hey, did you see Akane's sister at the market?" a boy in her class was asking. Akane froze as she listened further.  
"You mean the grey girl?" another boy asked. "What about her?"  
"You should have seen it, man," the first said. "There was this car accident, nobody was hurt bad, but this one guy's car was flipped over before he climbed out. And they were waiting for the police or somebody to come clear it, and Akane's sister just sets down her groceries walks over and flips it around rightside up!!"  
"Wow!" the second boy said. "She's stronger than Akane!"  
Akane winced and clinched her teeth as she walked past the two suddenly silent boys.  
  
********  
  
"Tarre!" Akane shouted when she got home. Kasumi and Nabiki wouldn't be home yet, the high school got out later than the middle school Akane was going to now. Her father was usually on his afternoon walk about this time, there was nobody but Tarre to see what she knew was essentially a temper tantrum.  
"Hai, oneechan," Tarre asked, pausing in doing whatever housework she was engaged in. "Do you need something?"  
"Let's spar!" Akane shouted.   
Tarre paused for a moment, looking a little worried. Wondering what she had done to upset Akane this time. Still, she had allowed the girl to "spar" with her quite often, and nothing bad had happened yet. Though it had been more than a year since she had last stood there in her vain attempts to put up some sort of challenge for Akane.  
"H...hai, Oneechan," Tarre said.  
  
********  
  
Kasumi arrived home ahead of Nabiki, who was meeting some friends at school before heading to a baseball game. She came home to the unusual sight of Akane looking downright sheepish and worried, and hanging around the phone as if deciding whether or not to make a call.  
"Is something wrong?" Kasumi asked, she noticed the beginning of a bruise on Akane's face. "Have you been fighting?"  
"Just sparring," Akane said.  
"But the only one home for you to spar with is..." Kasumi had a sudden sickening thought, and rushed to the dojo. As she had thought, Tarre was lying unconscious on the dojo floor, and she looked like a mess. "Oh my."  
"I could never hurt her before!" Akane protested as Kasumi checked her pulse and started to pick her up.   
This was moderately unfamiliar territory for her, Tarre knew more about first aid and caring for someone than Kasumi felt she ever would. The older girl shuddered as she considered how the girl had gained that knowledge.  
"You couldn't break ten bricks bare-handed before," Kasumi yelled. "I'm going to Tofu's clinic, Akane. You come with me, we need to talk!" Kasumi was out of the house the next moment.  
  
********  
  
"It's just a concussion, I think," Doctor Tofu said. "And maybe some bruised ribs. It's hard to tell."  
"Thank you, Doctor," Kasumi said.   
For a moment it seemed that she had sent him giddy with that small bit of gratitude, but surely she was imagining it. She was much too young for him, certainly.  
"It's no problem, Kasumi," Dr. Tofu said happily.   
Kasumi was almost perfect. If she had been any more perfect Dr. Tofu would have had trouble maintaining any level of competence around her. As it was he was trying to avoid pounding himself into the ground for being a pervert and lusting for an eighteen year old girl.  
"I need to talk to Akane now," Kasumi said, wearily. She stood up and wearily strode into the waiting room. Akane looked up at her nervously.  
"Is she going to be..."  
"She's going to be fine," Kasumi interrupted. "We need to talk about this temper of yours, Akane." Akane winced.  
  
********  
  
"Well, Akane," Nabiki said in a low voice after Soun had gotten through with lecturing at her. "I know Kasumi's the better cook, but that's a rather extreme way to get her to do dinner tonight, isn't it?"  
Akane flushed red and looked down at her lap.  
  
********  
  
"Oneechan!" Tarre shouted, waving over the heads of the other students. Akane looked back and wondered what her sister was doing away from the house.   
Akane paused at the entrance to the school and waited for the girl, she was finally starting to look as if she were a year older. It had only taken about nine years or so. Tarre reached Akane quickly and presented her with a bento.  
"You forgot your lunch, Oneechan," Tarre said.  
"Oh, uh," Akane said, she was still no longer certain how to treat the girl. There was a lingering distrust of her, but the scare that Akane had caused last year had pretty much destroyed that. Not even Akane was that stubborn. "Thanks Tarre."  
"What beauty is this that is before me?" a voice demanded loudly. Akane turned to see Tatewaki Kuno standing in the school entrance.  
"It's me, Kuno-Sempai," Akane said.  
"Nay, think not that I would not recognize the true beauty of Akane Tendo," Kuno said. "I was referring to the exotic creature that stands with you, bearing your noon repast."  
"Excuse me, I am Tarre Tendo," Tarre said, bowing formally with a confused expression. "I'm her adoptive sister."  
"Ahhh," Kuno said. "To think that the same blood line that produced the famed Ice Queen should also produce two such beauties."  
"I'm adopted," Tarre repeated, blushing as much as she could. Kuno didn't seem to hear.  
"Certainly you have come because your sister has told you of the great Tatewaki Kuno," Kuno continued. "Oh, I weep to think that because of me two such gentle souls should be pitted against each other! Fear not, fair Tendos! For I..." Akane's fist to his face cut him off.  
"The 'gentle soul' gets left out of this Kuno," Akane said to the unconscious swordsman. "Umm, you better get home before he comes to, Tarre."  
"Ohh, uhh...hai," Tarre said, heading back for the gate and then her home.   
Akane watched Tarre leave and sighed. Tarre was physically much stronger than Akane, she was probably harder to hurt, but Akane had learned that she was certainly not as capable of protecting herself. Muggers and stray animals sure, but not someTHING like Kuno.  
Unless she got behind him with a lamp post, Akane corrected, remembering the giant boar that had reached the edge of town one day when she was still too young to effectively fight much.  
  
********  
  
"Tadaima," Kasumi called out, stretching as she slipped her shoes and satchel off in the entrance.  
"Okaeri Nasai, Oneesama," a young voice called out. Kasumi rounded a corner towards the bulk of the building and saw her adoptive sister working on the laundry.  
"Hey, Tarre," Kasumi called out cheerily. "Am I too late for breakfast?"  
"Iie, Oneesama," Tarre said, finishing hanging up the basket before her. "I was just about to start, unless you would like to." She sounded hopeful.  
"Maybe I'd like to see how you've improved," Kasumi said. Tarre blinked and then nodded, looking embarrassed, she was probably blushing too, though Kasumi couldn't tell.  
"Hai, Oneesama," Tarre said, bowing lightly.  
"Don't be worried," Kasumi said. "I'm sure it will be fine, I just feel a little too tired to make something today. So, do you know what this news that Father is talking about it?"  
"Iie," Tarre said. "He received a post card in the mail yesterday and called this meeting."  
"All of us then?" Kasumi asked. At least it was   
Sunday and she had no classes, culinary or college.  
'Hai, Oneesama," Tarre said, then she paused. "Oh wait, I am afraid I shall have to miss it. I need to get some supplies for the larder."  
"He's not including you in this?" Kasumi asked.  
"Iie," Tarre said.   
It wasn't all that surprising. Her father provided everything he was supppsed to for Tarre and made sure that she was taken care of, but when it came to family business. In those cases he almost acted like she didn't exist.  
"I need to be going, Oneesama," Tarre said.  
"Be careful," Kasumi said. "I heard that that Kuno boy is bothering you now, too."  
"I run faster than he does, Oneesama," Tarre said.  
  
********  
  
"FIANCE!!!!!!"  
"Father!!" Kasumi gasped. "I HAVE a boyfriend already! Tofu-kun and I are very close! And what if he's too young for me?"  
"Why isn't Tarre here?" Nabiki asked.  
"Well, she isn't a Tendo by blood," Soun explained.  
  
********  
  
Tarre had watched horrified as a strange redhead fought off this giant panda, only to have the panda wake up and knock her unconscious when her back was turned.  
The local people were hardly surprised when Tarre walked over to pull a lamp post out of the ground. In fact a lot of them started making a great deal of noise to make it easier for her to sneak up behind him.  
  
********  
  
"Tadaima!" Tarre's voice called out.  
"What are you doing home?" Soun asked, seeming confused. "You have to do the shopping."  
"Sumimasen, Father," Tarre said coming into view carrying a small, unconscious redheaded girl. "But Tofu-san is still out of town until tomorrow and I needed to bring her somewhere!" She set the girl down on the floor and went to get the first-aid supplies. 


	3. Ranma's Secret

"Great another stray," Nabiki said. Kasumi was about to come to Tarre's defense when Nabiki continued. "Though I guess this one won't be around as long as the ones she normally picks up."   
Kasumi shut her mouth before anyone could notice that it had been open. She had almost forgotten about Tarre's tendency to adopt stray animals from time to time. She supposed she was just keyed up from finding out about this fiance business and then learning that Tarre was excluded from it.  
"So who's the girl?" Akane asked as Tarre arrived with the first aid kit.  
"She's a martial artist," Tarre said. "She was fighting a giant panda in the streets. It knocked her unconscious with a stop sign when she thought she'd beaten it."  
"And how did you end up with her," Nabiki asked. Nabiki had a familiar look in her eyes, the one that spoke of unexpected expenses.  
"Oh, there is no concern," Tarre said. "I put it back this time."  
  
********  
  
Several people were staring at the lamp post that had been rammed back into its former position. The shook their heads and hummed, watching the occasional spark of electricity jump out of the destroyed wires.  
"It's a good thing that girl doesn't study martial arts," somebody said. "And that she's such a nice girl."  
"If she had a temper," another agreed. "And/or training who knows what sort of damage she could do."  
"Well, it's gotten better recently," somebody else noted. "Usually Akane handles the random assorted giant animals these days."  
"Case in point," somebody noted.  
  
********  
  
"She got knocked out by a giant panda," Akane said in disbelief. "Must be a novice."  
"Well, the panda was a martial artist, too," Tarre said resulting in a flinch from all there. "I think she was as good as Oneechan."   
Tarre's ability to read a fighter was quite minimal, and she tended to underestimate people by a great deal if they were not family, or actively attacking her. So her pronouncement was met with some shock.  
"No way," Akane said.  
"Urgh," the redhead said. "Damn, Pops, you didn't have to hit so...ehh...hey where am I?"  
"Oh, Konnichi wa," Tarre said. "This is the Tendo dojo, I brought you here." She leaned forward and sniffed at the girl for a moment. There was something familiar about her, she just couldn't place it.  
"Uh, right," the redhead said sitting up and glancing at Tarre strangely. The grey-girl blinked, embarrassed and backed up a moment. "Did you happen to see a fat and lazy panda with me?"  
"Oh, don't worry about him," Tarre said. "Animal control was called."  
Ranma blinked for a moment as he considered that piece of information. She blinked quietly for a moment before bursting out in laughter.  
  
********  
  
"What do you mean the panda vanished?" the zookeeper demanded. "How could you lose such a valuable animal!?!"  
"I'm sorry, sir," the workman said. "They were spraying down the pit with hot water and he suddenly just vanished."  
"Find him quickly!!" the zookeeper demanded angrily.  
  
********  
  
"Are we missing something young lady?" Soun asked. The redhead's laughter suddenly died. Akane was fuming quietly still wondering about Tarre's comment earlier.  
"I am not a young lady!" she shouted. "I'm a g..." She looked down at herself and frowned. "...Stupid curse."  
"What was that about a curse?" Tarre asked, nervously.  
"Nothing you're gonna have to worry about," the redhead said. "Look, I gotta go, my Pops has this idea about getting me engaged to somebody I ain't never met." Tarre looked confused.  
"That sounds terrible," she said, more for the sake of supporting the girl than actually knowing what she was talking about.  
"Oh my," Kasumi said, as she and Nabiki glanced toward Soun.   
"Who does THAT in this day and age?" Nabiki asked pointedly.  
"And I REALLY doubt he's told them what they're getting into either," the redhead said.  
"Ahem," Soun coughed into his hand.  
"So anyway," the redhead continued. "I think I better head on back to China before the baka panda finds some hot water an comes lookin' for me or something." Nabiki and Kasumi looked back to their definitely nervous fighter.  
"Hey, Tarre said you're a martial artist," Akane said.  
"Uh, yeah," the girl said. "Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts." Soun irked and glanced between his two older-seeming daughters.  
"What?" Akane gasped confused. "I'm Akane Tendo of the TENDO School of Anything Goes Martial Arts!"  
"Excuse me?" Ranma said. "As far as I know, Pops and I are the only practioners." Though something was tickling the back her mind.  
"Well," Akane said. "Want to spar before you go? My sister said you were as good as me, and a good challenge would be nice to have around here."  
"Sure," Ranma said, curious about seeing another Anything Goes fighter in action. "She said something about a dojo right?" He jerked a finger toward Tarre.  
"Yeah," Akane said standing up. "I'll lead the way." In a moment they were leaving for the dojo.  
"She hasn't figured it out," Nabiki said.  
"That poor girl didn't either," Kasumi said.  
"Ano," Tarre said. "Haven't figured what out?"  
"Well, father?" Nabiki said, turning toward him. "Looks like our fiance is a girl." Soun fainted.  
"Father!" Tarre gasped, rushing to her father's side.  
  
********  
  
"So what does your school specialize in?" Ranma asked.  
"Mostly grappling, power, and weapons," Akane said. "You?"  
"Aerial combat, speed, and unarmed," Ranma said. "Some staff and nunchaku work though. Jujutsu based?"  
"Hai," Akane said, starting to sound supicious. "Locks, throws, pressure points. With a lot of borrowing to back it up. Mostly Karate, some Sumo, whatever else I ran across."  
"Same here, mostly Aikido and others though," Ranma said, though the 'whatever I ran across' list was too large for her to list. "Huh, you'd almost think they were two halves of the same art or something."  
"Weird, they even have the same name," Akane agreed. "So how are we gonna do this?"  
"Bokkens?" Ranma asked after a moment.  
"If you're going to concede to me like that," Akane said, moderately insulted. "Let's make it first touch."  
"If you want to," Ranma said.  
"Well, let's go," Akane said.  
It wasn't deep into the first exchange before Akane felt her anger raising. This vagabond girl was just blocking her strikes and not attacking. In the past Akane would have let that anger raise and cloud her thinking. She had been working to control that anger over the last year, which was how she figured out the girl was watching her form and guaging her "tells" as Nabiki would have said.  
"We'll see about that," Akane said under her breath. She pulled back and invited the other girl to attack her. "Well, are you going to attack or what?"  
"Well, you asked for it," Ranma said. ~It's just first touch, don't have to worry about hitting her.~ Ranma came forward in a blur of speed that Akane almost couldn't defend against.  
~Damn, she's fast,~ Akane gasped as she twisted to avoid another strike. ~Good thing she doesn't know how to fight with weapons, this match would be over. Good thing I didn't insist on hand to hand.~   
That was her saving grace, Ranma was applying her unarmed and staff techniques to the bokken. As such she was telegraphing her sword moves all over the place. She couldn't read hardly anything else, but she KNEW where that sword was going almost a half-second before it was there. There were even several places that Akane saw an opening to work in one of the disarming moves she knew, but Ranma moved too fast for her to take advantage of them.  
~What the hell?~ Ranma thought. ~How the hell is she avoiding me?~  
~One chance,~ Akane reasoned.   
She broke away from her dodging and deflections for a moment to send in one hard block, designed to off-balance her opponent. Then she flashed out a kick to take advantage of that, hoping her opponent would be surprised by the change up.  
The surprise was clearly apparent on Ranma's face, but she bent under the kick anyway. Akane's momentum carried her leg past Ranma's bent double body. She was already trying to move away from the vulnerable position she was going to find herself in, when she felt a light touch on the back of her head.  
She turned around to see Ranma standing behind her, obviously having righted herself from bending over, and a single finger tapping the back of her head. Akane stared for a moment and then laughed.  
"You're pretty good all around," she said. "Your win, but you need to work on the sword forms."  
"Never had much use for them," Ranma said, shrugging. Internally she was determined to find someone to learn some sword forms from though.  
"I'm just glad you're a girl," Akane said.  
"Ehh?" Ranma said, confused.  
"If you were a boy I'd start to think you were this fiance one of us supposed to marry or something," Akane said. Ranma and Akane blinked.  
"Wait a minute," they said in unison.  
  
********  
  
"Dad," Akane said coming in from the dojo. "Is our fiancee, Ranma?!"  
"He's fainted, Akane," Kasumi said.  
"Oh great," Ranma said, placing her face in her hand. ~Of all the places to end up.~  
"Maybe it is Ranma-san's brother," Tarre suggested.  
"Ehh?" Ranma said, confused again.  
"It's either Ranma-san's brother or Ranma-san can become a boy," Tarre said. "I can smell a male that smells like you." Ranma turned quite pale at the second option, Nabiki and Kasumi noticed.  
"You said something about a curse earlier?" Nabiki noted. She certainly believed in magic, her adoptive sister was the spitting image of something out of an American game that was called a dark elf and she aged almost not at all it seemed.  
"Errr..." Ranma said again. Akane narrowed her eyes and turned to look at Ranma supiciously.  
"And the other family not knowing what it was getting into," Kasumi added.  
"Uhhhh..." Ranma said.  
"TENDO!!" A voice cried out. Soon an unfamiliar man in a white gi was charging down the hallway, apparently having let himself in. "Tendo!! It's a disaster. Ranma's been taken by slavers just a few kilometers...away? Ranma, what are you doing here?"   
At this point Genma kicked over a convenient bucket that had been in the hall way and very soon there was a panda standing in the hallway.  
"Th...th...that's the beast!!!" Tarre shouted, instantly hiding behind Kasumi. Akane was a little to close to the monster for her comfort.  
"So, Saotome," Nabiki asked. "Are you a girl, or a boy?" Akane was glaring at Ranma as Nabiki asked the question.  
"I'm a guy," Ranma said. "Sorry about this." Akane twitched angrily.  
  
********  
  
"Well," Soun said after awaking and everything had been explained to him, with demonstrations. "The situation is not as bad as I thought."  
"What?" Ranma asked, now male, not quite believing what he had just heard.  
"These are my daughters," Soun said quickly. "Kasumi 19, Nabiki 17, and Akane 16. Choose one and she shall be your fiancee."  
"What?!!" Ranma repeated more forcefully.  
"I have a boyfriend, father," Kasumi reminded him as she took Tarre off to the side. She whispered to the girl. "It really isn't right that you're excluded from this you know. You should have as much chance as any of us."  
"I am not a Tendo by blood Oneesama," Tarre noted. "If Father feels that I am not to be included, it is not my place to argue."   
Kasumi looked over her older/younger sister a moment. It seemed to be the girl's highest goal in life to serve the will of other people, she had almost no concept of what she herself liked. All she did was maintain the house and feed them, without a life of her own.   
Kasumi briefly imagined herself in the same situation and shuddered, she couldn't quite see it.   
She would have had to give up on training and her school. She'd probably never have gone on that first date with Tofu. She'd probably be still living at home.  
"You don't have any interest in him?" Kasumi asked.  
"He smelled familiar..." Tarre noted hesitantly.  
"Hey what about her?" Ranma asked, indicating Tarre. "Ain't she a Tendo?"  
"But she's adopted," Soun said.  
"What kind of perverted plans do you have for my sister?" Akane demanded.  
"What's with you?" Ranma asked. "I ain't got no plans, it just don't seem fair to exclude her, you know?"  
"Don't look at me, Daddy," Nabiki said. "I'm not going near this one."  
"Well then," Soun said. "It's settled. You shall be Akane's fiancee." Kasumi heard Tarre's voice catch for a moment.  
"One moment," Kasumi said. "The marriage is meant to unite the schools, correct?"  
"That is true," Genma said. "It is a matter of honor."  
"Then why not just have Ranma and Akane teach each other what they don't know?" Kasumi asked.  
"That sounds fair," Ranma added, thinking of those sword forms.  
"But," Soun sputtered.  
"No they..." Genma started.  
"Yeah," Akane agreed. "If we both learn what each other knows, then the completed school can grow twice as large."  
"But a..." Soun started.  
"Fine," Genma said, interrupting his friend. "We'll stay here, and Akane and Ranma will instruct each other in their arts."  
"Glad that's settled," Akane said.  
"Right," Ranma said, though he really had hoped he'd be going back to China sooner. Nabiki watched the two fathers suspiciously. Tarre felt a sense of relief for a moment, though she didn't know why.  
"I shall do the shopping now," she said.  
"Wait," Akane said. "Let me come with you, just in case something else happens."  
  
********  
  
"What are you thinking Saotome?" Tendo asked. "There needs to be a Tendo-Saotome marriage in order to end this curse."  
"Relax, Tendo," Genma said. "They'll grow closer in the teaching. Certainly they'll be sweethearts by the end of the week."  
"Let's just hope that my other daughter isn't the one that develops a longing for him," Tendo said.  
"Who knows," Genma said. "Maybe the curse considers her a Tendo?"  
"Better not to take chances," Soun said. "With each generation our families' lives get weirder and weirder, and marriage attempts always seem to fail. Look at what happened with my sister and your brother, and imagine what we're going to face with Ranma and Akane."  
"Yes, Tendo," Genma said. "Our families have lived in interesting times." 


	4. School Days

"Sayonara, Oneesama," Tarre said cheerfully. "I hope the dinner was okay." Kasumi was shoulder her bags and getting ready to return to her apartment.  
"You were fine, Tarre," Kasumi said. "Just keep up the hard work and you'll be as good as me someday."  
"Oh, I never could," Tarre protested.  
"Perhaps you'll be visiting more often, now?" Soun asked expectantly. Kasumi considered the request. She was already seeing them, briefly at times, three or four times a week.  
"I shall try," Kasumi answered vaguely. She turned to Akane and Nabiki. "Now I expect you two to behave at school with Ranma-kun."  
~School!?!~ Akane and Ranma thought, their expressions plain to see.  
"What do you mean school?" Ranma protested.  
"Well, we will be staying here a long time," Genma said.  
~Oh damn! They'll expect me to lead him there!~ Akane gasped. ~Training me is one thing, but being seen together?~ Kasumi leveled a look at her sister, that half-motherly look that Akane didn't like to disappoint.  
"I'll be civil," Nabiki said. "I don't know about Akane."  
"Nabiki!?" Akane gasped as the Saotome "bickering" threatened to drown them out.  
"Is bicker all you two can do?" Kasumi asked tiredly, shaking her head. "I'll see you all later. Tarre, don't let them run you ragged."  
"Hai, oneesama," Tarre said, bowing and smiling cheerfully.  
  
*****  
  
Akane passed through the near empty courtyard of Furinkan next to her sister. She felt odd not having to wade through the hentai hordes for once. Maybe she ought to come to school early for a little while, she could use a break.  
"Isn't this early even for you?" Akane asked.  
"I don't want to be seen walking in with him any more than you do," Nabiki answered back.  
  
*****  
  
Ranma glanced around in the wake of the morning spar. He was holding a book bag with a sort of lost expression. He scratched his head and walked into another room.  
"Good morning, Ranma," Soun said cheerfully. "I'm off to buy cigarettes."   
"Hey Mr. Tendo do you know where..." Ranma tried to ask directions to the school, but Soun was already gone before he could say much. "A lot of help he was."  
"Well boy," Genma said irritably. "Why aren't you off to school yet?"  
"How do I get there, Pop?" Ranma asked irritably, the old man shrugged. He sighed, it looked as if he would have to ask on his way there.  
"Oh, I can lead you," Tarre said cheerfully. "Just let me set this to the side here." She set aside the breakfast dishes neatly on the counter and untied her apron.  
"Uh, okay," Ranma said. "Just curious, why ain't you going to school?"  
"I have to work here," Tarre said, as if it wasn't a question. Then there was that test she had taken a few years ago that said she didn't have to. There was a reason that she wasn't supposed to go to school now, but it had slipped her mind in her urge to help the new guest.  
"Just get to school, boy," Genma said. "You're late enough as it is. No time to ask questions."  
"Right, right," Ranma said. "So, I guess you can lead me." Tarre nodded and walked past him to the genkan.  
"This way Ranma-san," Tarre said.  
  
*****  
  
"So how'd you get that name?" Ranma asked.  
"It is English," Tarre said. "It is their word for tar."  
"You mean that black gooey stuff they make the roads with," Ranma asked, perplexed.  
"Hai," Tarre nodded. "Mother named me."  
~Who names their kids like that?~ Ranma wondered to himself, just barely missing getting splashed by an old woman. "Whoa, that was close."  
"Ohayoo gozaimasu, Kanada-san," Tarre waved cheerfully to the old woman who nodded in response.  
"I thought you went shopping yesterday, Tarre-chan," the woman said, still washing her walk.  
"Yeah, she's just showing me to the school," Ranma said, before noticing that Tarre had been going to answer. "Oh, sorry."  
"No problem, Ranma-san," Tarre said cheerfully, waving the old woman as they continued along the walk. "So you and Akane are planning to train each other in fighting?"  
"In the Art, yeah," Ranma said. "So how about you, how good are you?"  
"Oh, I don't fight, Ranma-san," Tarre said.  
"Uhh, how did you get me away from my Pop then?" Ranma asked. She pointed at the lamp post that was still rammed into the ground.  
"I'm afraid that I used that," Tarre explained, embarrassed. Ranma twitched as he realized what that said about Tarre's strength.  
"Yeah," Ranma said nervously.  
  
*****  
  
"Tarre," Soun shouted as he came home. He started to light a cigarette. "Tarre! The dishes. This is really unlike her."  
"Oh, she just had to show Ranma to the school," Genma said. "She'll be back soon." He looked to his old friend and noted the cigarette falling out of Soun's mouth.  
"She went to the school!!?" Soun shouted.  
"Yeah, so what's the problem?" Genma asked. "You don't think they'll fall in love over a walk to school?" Genma began to pale as he began to consider that.  
"Worse than that Genma," Soun gasped. "If we do not hurry, we may have to face a fate worse than death while Tarre recovers."  
"Ehh?" Genma blinked.  
"Akane's cooking," Soun whispered in dread tones.  
  
*****  
  
"Just wait for it," a boy said to his neighbor. "Any moment now she's going to come around that gate. And this time I'll defeat her."  
"You mean I'll defeat her," the boy he was talking to said.  
"You are both fools," a third said. "Today shall be the day that I prove my love to Akane Tendo." Up above them three pairs of eyes watched, shaking their heads.  
"Not a single one of them knows that Akane is already in the school," Nabiki said.  
"Pathetic," her lieutenant agreed.  
"Hey, someone's coming!" a boy down below shouted.  
"That's not Akane," someone said. "It's....TARRE!!"  
"Uhh, does the challenge extend to her?" someone else asked.  
"What's this?" Kuno said from his hiding place. "Tis not the courageous Akane that comes to face my challenge but her lovely younger sister? And who is this cad that chats with her so freely."  
  
*****  
  
"Go tell Akane to get downstairs," Nabiki calmly said to one of her lieutenants. "I we're going to lose some funds."  
"Right boss!" the girl responded quickly, running out of the room.  
  
*****  
  
"Why do you smell familiar?" Tarre asked an oblivious Ranma. He was apparently distracted by something ahead of him.  
"Hey, what's with the big group of boys in sports gear in front of the school here?" Ranma asked. Tarre blinked and looked forward in confusion.  
"Big group of...boys?" Tarre repeated, suddenly remembering why she wasn't supposed to go to the school. For a moment her dark grey skin seemed to turn a lighter shade as she looked at them all.   
They were still deciding over whether the challenge applied to her when she started to turn away from the school and softly edge away from them all, trying not to attract attention. Someone noticed it.  
"TARRE TENDO I LOVE YOU!!!" they shouted, charging forward. With the signal given the horde moved.  
"AAHHHH!!!" Tarre cried out hiding behind Ranma and covering her eyes.  
"What the..." Ranma said, surprised as the mass of uncoordinated and amateurish fighters came at them. He was aware of one thing, however, they weren't getting past him.  
It was over almost before it began.  
"Damn," Ranma said. "I hope this doesn't happen everyday, that could hamper my skills." Tarre was still huddled behind Ranma, just now peeking out to look around.  
"Is it over?" she asked quietly.  
"Yeah..." Ranma said glancing around at the semi-conscious bodies. He hadn't even had to take a step to beat him, they just kept coming. What idiots.   
He was about to ask what that was about when someone interrupted him.  
"Hold strange sir!" Kuno shouted. "Who are you to presume to interfere in this righteous proof of our love for the shadowy beauty of Tarre Tendo?" Unfortunately for Kuno he failed to notice someone coming out of the school behind him.  
"I TOLD you!" Akane growled as she grabbed Kuno from behind. "My sister stays out of your sick little games!!" Ranma blinked as Akane proceeded to make Kuno look like a twistee doll.  
"Arigato gozaimasu, Oneechan!" Tarre shouted as thankfully as Akane finished and rubbed her hands together.  
"What are YOU doing here!" Akane snapped angrily. Tarre winced and looked down at her feet. "You could have been hurt! Are you crazy?"  
"Hey!" Ranma said. "She was showing me how to get here okay! Lay off her! What was all that junk anyway?"   
Akane looked embarrassed for a moment. Tarre opened her mouth to answer, which was when the roll of thunder above invoked Akane to pull Ranma into the school.  
"Go home now, Tarre!" Akane shouted as she ran to beat the coming rain.  
"Uh...hai...oneechan," Tarre said to the dust cloud.   
She sighed and started on her way home, the rain began just a few moments later. Though at least she had the pleasure of seeing her father and a large panda running down the street in a fit of panic. A sight that would have been amusing to most people.  
They passed her the first time. Then realized who they had passed, turned around and grabbed the confused girl from either side as they continued running home.  
  
*****  
  
"I give you that information, it's going to cost Kuno-Baby," Nabiki said simply.  
"Whatever the cost may be," Kuno growled. "I must know the identity of this cur that is hounding your sister."  
"Fork it over, Kuno-baby," Nabiki said in a blase tone. After a moment she was handed a small wad of bills, she counted them eagerly before answering the question. "He's Ranma Saotome. There's some old agreement to unite our school of martial arts with his through a marriage. But since none of us want to marry him, and he doesn't want to marry any of us, we're just trading martial arts secrets instead."  
"WHAT!!?" Kuno demanded, not having her heard much past "marriage." "Forcing your helpless sister into a marriage she cannot abide?! I shall smite the foul cur!!"  
"Whatever, Kuno-Baby," Nabiki said as Kuno ran off. Well, first the teacher sent him to the hall, then he ran off.  
  
*****  
  
"So, I understand that Akane was of some help to you today," Genma said. Both he and Ranma were meditating on their heads.  
"Yeah," Ranma said. "Well it's her stupid fight that got me into the mess in the first place."  
"Ranma!" Genma roared flipping himself the right way and then righting Ranma to sit and listen to his lecture. "You must give your in...sensai to be more respect than that!"  
"It's the same respect I give you, you old fart," Ranma reminded his father.  
"You will go back and say thank you to her right now!" Genma demanded.  
"Yeah, yeah," Ranma said, standing up.  
  
*****  
  
"Really, Tarre," Akane said. "You should know better than that."   
Tarre nodded.  
"If I hadn't gotten down there, Kuno would have seriously hurt you," she said to Tarre's frightened nod. "I'll bet that jerk Ranma made you show him how to get to school, right?"  
"Actually I offered..." Tarre started.  
"Well, don't listen to anything that pervert has to say," Akane warned Tarre.  
"Oneechan," Tarre said nervously, pointing at the door.  
"What?" Akane asked.  
"He's right outside the door," Tarre said.   
Akane flinched and listened as footsteps turned away from the bedroom door along with a muttered "I'm supposed to thank that?"  
"Well who cares about that anyway?" Akane demanded. 


	5. The Photo

Nabiki and Akane, having missed the show the first time, stood in stunned awe as Genma and Ranma sparred. For one thing, it looked more like a duel to the death than a spar. For another thing it was taking place, on average, about twelve feet off the ground.  
They continued to stare in outright shock as Tarre came out of the kitchen to put breakfast on the table. She glanced nervously at the sparring herself, but they had explained that to her yesterday, so she wasn't so nervous as she could have been. In any case, she did know what to do to end the disturbing display.  
"Breakfast is ready," she called out.   
Instantly the two martial artists turned their attention toward her...and dropped into the koi pound. Tarre winced at the impact, but was relieved to see Ranma and her father walk out seemingly unharmed.  
"Stupid old man," the redhead was muttering. "Couldn't you just let us land dry for once?"  
#We must never let ourselves become soft.# The panda's sign read.  
"What...was that?" Nabiki asked awakened without heavy amounts of caffeine for once.  
"That was Ranma-san and Saotome-san sparring," Tarre said. "They did the same thing yesterday."  
"You mean...I'm going to learn how to do that?" Akane asked, eyes widening. Ranma looked at her in surprise for a moment before remembering there was food to protect.  
"You can't do that?" Ranma asked indicating the area he had been sparring his father. He knew he was losing food to this, but he had to know what he'd be training.  
"I can hit the roof from the wall," Akane said. "If I try hard, but I can't leap like that on the spur like you were."  
"Huh," Ranma said.  
  
*****  
  
"I don't want you getting my sister into danger like that again," Akane snapped as they were walking toward school fifteen minutes later.  
"Excuse me," Ranma said. "One minute it's friends, the next I'm a pervert, then yer looking at me like I'm the coolest thing since winter, an' now I'm trying to get your sister killed? What is with you?"  
"Are you lecturing me about how I should behave?" Akane asked. "You don't even talk properly. Listen just let's get through this day without you embarrassing me or getting my family members hurt, okay?"  
"Yeah, whatever," Ranma said.  
"Look," Akane said after a few more minutes. "You scared me, you really scared me when you came to school with her. She may be stronger and tougher than me, but she's the most defenseless person I've ever met. And I don't want to see her hurt because of...anything ever again. Okay?"  
"Sheesh, if you're so worried about her," Ranma said in answer. "Whydidja yell at her like that?"  
"Well..." Akane paused, trying to find a reasonable answer. She couldn't really find a good one, but said something anyway. "She's like a little kid sometimes, you have to yell to get her to pay attention."  
"You act like she's stupid or something," Ranma said.  
"She's my sister," Akane snapped. "Not yours, so don't try to say you know more about her than I do."  
"All right, all right," Ranma said, though his opinion of Akane had gone up a couple of notches once she admitted that she had been worried about the dark-skinned girl.  
  
*****  
  
Nabiki looked at the stuffed panda in front of her.  
"What," she asked. "Is this?"  
"It's a stuffed panda," Kuno said.  
"I know that," Nabiki said. "What's it doing on my desk?"  
"It's a gift," Kuno said. Nabiki rolled her eyes.  
"Sorry Kuno, I'm secretly Sailor Pluto's lover," Nabiki said turning away from Kuno.  
"Did I say it was for you, Tendo Nabiki?" Kuno asked fervantly. "This is for the pig-tailed girl." Nabiki's soda went spraying.  
"Now look what you made me do," Nabiki growled.  
"My apologies," Kuno growled. Then he blinked. "Wait, did you say Sailor Pluto's lover?"  
"It was meant to get you off my..."  
"Certainly one of the Sailor Senshi would be lucky to have one such as myself as their paramour," Kuno said as Nabiki slammed her face into her desk in surprise. "But alas...I have sworn my heart to your sisters and the pig-tailed girl. I cannot betray them in such a way."  
"Yeah, right Kuno," Nabiki said. "So now your three-timing my sister then?"  
"You would give me this speech again, Tendo?" Kuno asked harshly.  
"Nope," Nabiki said. "I'll offer these instead." She laid down a collection of pictures on the table.  
"Ahh," Kuno gasped as he saw pictures of his three loves spread on the table. "She is so...unashamed before the camera."  
"Yes, almost like a boy one might say," Nabiki said.  
"Perish the thought!" Kuno gasped as he continued to look upon the pictures.  
"I'll let you have them for," Nabiki paused. "Say, five thousand yen?"  
"Why the very heavens themselves would weep at such a price, I won't pay," Kuno said.  
"I suppose you wouldn't be interested in these then?" An array of pictures of Akane and Tarre were spread out on the table.   
The pictures of Akane practicing her Art in the dojo were as expected. Those of Tarre, on the other hand, were less than expected.   
About three months ago, the Tendos had gone to the beach, giving Tarre the chance to try out the swimsuit Nabiki had given her for what they celebrated as her birthday, the anniversary of her arrival.   
She had worn it for about ten minutes before becoming overwhelmed by a sense of self-consciousness and fled to the changing rooms to try something more modest. She had felt obligated to at least try it on once receiving it as a gift, but she would have reconsidered had she been aware of just what she looked like in it.  
The swimsuit was obstensibly a one piece, but the majority of it was a tightly woven mesh that was mostly transparent. It made Tarre's nervous expression seem rather fetching overall.   
Those few male Furinkan students that had seen her in the outfit and quickly spread the word, and now the mesh-swimsuit of Tarre Tendo had been firmly bestowed the status of one of Furinkan's hallway legends.  
"These are..." Kuno started.  
"That's right Kuno-Baby," Nabiki said. "The mythical mesh bathing suit. Now, you realize that I can't just let these rare images pass through my hands for anything less than...twenty thousand for all three sets." Nabiki smirked as she saw interest piqued in another male nearby. Word would soon spread.  
Nabiki couldn't believe that the swim-suit company had decided not to pursue the matter when she had shown them the photos. The model companies may have not wanted to pursue the matter, Nabiki's bad luck that Kasumi had answered the return phone call, but she knew of other people that would.  
"Sold!" Kuno declared loudly.  
"And I think I know how you can get that toy of yours to the pig-tailed girl," Nabiki offered.  
  
*****  
  
Tarre was still in a little shock as she walked to the market. She'd barely had the groceries necessary to make breakfast. It was like some ravenous beast had descended upon her kitchen while she was asleep. Nabiki had grumbled something about houseguests when told and then had left.  
Tarre knew she'd get the money somehow. She did wish she knew where Nabiki worked, however. If there was a job that offered so much money for so little time it would be nice.   
She had little idea of Nabiki's source of income. All she knew was that Nabiki went to school and came back about an hour or two later and dispensed the funds necessary for Tarre to attend her duties.  
  
*****  
  
Nabiki watched the short exchange between Kuno and Ranma with a smirk. Then stepped out with a kettle of water while Ranma-chan was being hugged by the idiot swordsman. She poured of a suddenly screaming Ranma.  
"Oh...I'm sorry, Ranma," Nabiki said. "Was that too hot?"  
"Ranma?" Kuno repeated, confused and looked down to see that he was apparently smothering the other boy.  
"That's right, Ranma," the martial artist said bitterly. "Have you figured it out now? My secret?"  
"Oh dear," Nabiki said. "I guess we'll have to spell it out for him..."  
Ranma and Kuno were tearing at each other a minute later. Akane strode up to watch her sensei to be curiously, analyzing his style in a real fight. To her irritation he was practically ignoring Kuno in the "fight."  
Nobody noticed Tarre walk by the park, groceries in hand, and do a double take upon seeing what was going on as she walked by.   
That is nobody noticed until Ranma stopped cold in the fight and glanced from something in his hand and towards the grey-skinned girl watching the fight. How he had known to look that was a question, perhaps he had seen her out of the corner of his eye.  
In any case, he was in the process of looking back down in his hand when Kuno struck him in the side. Ranma grunted with the impact and rolled away, breaking off combat to regather his wits.  
"You should pay more attention, Ranma," Akane said coolly as he stopped in front of her. She was more than a little upset that he was making a joke out of her greatest opponent. "Kuno is much better when fighting a male opponent."  
"You know, Akane," Ranma said from his position crouched on his head and hands and looking up. "If I'm going to be training you, we gotta do something about your wardrobe."  
Akane blinked in confusion for a moment until she realized what Ranma's position gave him a view of. Predictably she kicked him back towards Kuno. Tarre gasped in surprise and almost lost her grip on the groceries.  
The remainder of the fight was short but spectacular, as Kuno shattered a statue through the air pressure of his strikes. He was topped, however, as Ranma made ten smoothly and surgically placed kicks to vital points upon the swordsman's body, all in the space of a blink.  
"Oh dear," Tarre said setting down her groceries and rushing over once the coast was clear. "Ranma-san, are you hurt?"  
"Now," Ranma said, hands behind his head. "It's nothing."  
"But he seemed to hit you so hard," Tarre said, casually poking Ranma in the side. Ranma immediately crumpled to Tarre's embarrasment.  
"Serves you right," Akane said. "What had you distracted anyway?"  
"These," Ranma said, handing over a collection of photos.  
"What?!" Akane roared. "What are you doing with pictures of me you pervert?!"  
"What am I...?" Ranma said. "Kuno had them!!"  
"Nabiki!" Akane gasped turning to her sister. Tarre blinked in confusion looking at the photos over Akane's shoulder.  
"I've got to make a little money somehow," Nabiki said, shrugging and smirking.  
"My own sister," Akane snapped.  
"I don't see why he'd want pictures of you like that," Ranma said, meaning yelling, screaming, destroying things, but sounding as if he meant Akane in general. "Besides she's got us both beat."   
He pointed to Tarre. He admitted her looks as being superior reluctantly. It was as if some part of his pride was determined that, if we was going to be a girl he'd be the best damn-looking girl around.  
"Ano?" Tarre said, not understanding until Ranma handed over more of the photos he had collected.  
"What's a raging tomboy compared to that?" Ranma asked, not heeding his danger. He was including himself as a tomboy, but of course, he did not make that clear.  
"RANMA!!!!" Akane roared. Tarre seemed to change a whiter shade of gray for a moment as Akane proceeded to pound on Ranma. Whether she was in shock from the photos or the violence it was hard to say.  
  
*****  
  
Nabiki counted the photos up that she had recovered and decided that she could make another two thousand by selling them back to Kuno before beginning on mass distribution.   
Unfortunately, the best photo of Tarre was missing. She still had the negative, but it would mean that she'd have to wait a while before selling it to Kuno again. Obviously he had managed to keep on to that one, since she knew which ones Tarre, Ranma and Akane had collectively disposed of.  
It was highly unfortunate. That one was a true work of art, and she was very proud of the result from the point of view of someone that looked at photography as almost a way of life.   
Tarre had been sitting on a small boulder out in the surf, facing out to sea and trying to ignore the looks she was getting from people on the beach. The wind had been whipping her hair, free for once, about dramatically, and Nabiki had managed to catch the image as an especially strong wave broke against the rock she was sitting on.   
The expression of Tarre dreading the fact she was about to be drenched and probably tossed off her perch had a different look in the photo. She was slightly turned upward toward the wave and the little amount of her emotion she'd let into her face seemed more or less a serenly pensive look.   
A couple seconds after the picture was taken, Tarre's shock-born stoicism had broken into full scale screaming. Then she was swamped. After she'd recovered her feet she'd made the aforementioned break for the changing rooms.  
It was lucky that she had those negatives.  
  
*****  
  
A few days later Tarre blinked to discover the picture framed and hung on her wall with a note.  
"You're pretty, you know that?"  
It wasn't signed, but she recognized the smell on the framed photo and note. She blushed, though it was hard to tell with her coloring, and glanced around anxiously and wondering how to react.  
It would be rude to turn down such a gift, but Father obviously did not approve her matching with this boy. Then again, only she could tell WHO had sent it...she blinked. She was actually contemplating not revealing something to her family.  
Perhaps she should talk to Kasumi about it. 


	6. Old Friends

Kasumi yawned and streched awake, trying to place  
where the light tapping noise was coming from. She  
glanced around for a minute or two before realizing  
that it was coming from her door. More than a little  
curious, she stood up and made herself presentable  
before walking to the door and looking through the  
peephole.  
"Tarre?" Kasumi said in surprise before she opened  
the door.  
"Oh! Oneesama," Tarre said. She was holding a small  
box protectively. "I was worried that I had missed  
you."  
"I was still asleep," Kasumi said.  
"It's Tuesday, Oneesama," Tarre said. "Ten o'clock  
in the morning."  
"I had late classes last night," Kasumi explained.   
"But why are you here now?" Tarre shuffled for a  
moment.  
"Oneesama," she said. "I have a problem." So saying  
she produced a framed picture from the box.  
"I recognize that picture," Kasumi said, sighing.   
"Did Nabiki give you a copy."  
"No, Oneesama," Tarre said. "Ranma-san did."  
"Oh my," Kasumi said.  
  
*****  
  
"When do you want to start training in the sword  
forms," Akane asked.   
"After you get better," Ranma said simply.  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Akane asked.  
"Oh, come on," Ranma said. "Right now I can still  
beat you with swords." By which he meant "how can you  
teach me if you can't humiliate me" but this time  
Ranma wasn't neglecting speaking words on accident.   
Nope, this time Ranma would rather receive pain via  
random heavy objects than admit that Akane was going  
to be spending any time humiliating him. Well, almost  
willing, Ranma was running ahead as he spoke.  
"RANMA!!!!!!" Akane growled as she gave chase.  
The pig-tailed boy was turning back to stick his  
tongue out at her in mid air when he suddenly stopped  
and flipped back to the ground landing at nearly the  
same time as another young man settled into the ground  
holding a bamboo umbrella.  
Ranma backflipped away as the ground around the  
second young man vaporized into a crater.  
"Hello, Ranma," the young man said. "Still good at  
running away I see."  
"Do you know him Ranma?" Akane asked. Ranma shook  
his head silently, obviously appearing to think hard.  
"You can't get out of this that easy," the boy  
growled.  
"Sorry," Ranma said shrugging.  
"What?" Ryouga asked. "You mean you really don't  
remember?"  
"You're familiar but," Ranma said, shrugging.  
"Answer me this one question," Ryouga said. "Why  
didn't you meet me at the appointed spot for our man  
to man fight?!"   
"Ah ha!!" Ranma shouted.  
"You DO know him then," Akane said, crossing her  
arms.  
"Ryouga Hibiki!" Ranma shouted. "I haven't seen  
since junior high three years ago!"  
"Answer the question!" Ryouga shouted.  
"Uh, Ryouga," Ranma said. "I waited for you for  
three days."  
"Three days?" Akane said.  
"But when I'd arrived on the fourth day you'd already  
left for China with your father!" Ryouga shouted.  
"The fourth day?" Akane asked.  
"Hey I lasted as long as I could!" Ranma protested.   
"Day three, thud, pass out, next thing I know I'm in  
the middle of the Sea of Japan. I still think Pop put  
something in my food."  
"He started swimming while you were still asleep?!"  
Akane shouted. "You could have drowned!"  
"Ranma can't drown," Ryouga said.  
"What?" Akane asked. "You can't drown?" She only  
knew one other person that fit could also claim it was  
impossible for them to drown.  
"Yeah," Ranma said, shrugging as if it wasn't  
important. "I don't know why."  
"Anyway!" Ryouga shouted. "Enough of these excuses!   
Thanks to you Ranma Saotome! I've seen hell! Now I'm  
here to destroy your happiness!"  
"My happiness?" Ranma said. He turned to Akane. "Am  
I happy?"  
"Why are you asking me?"  
"Enough talking time to fight!" Ryouga shouted.   
Ryouga tossed his umbrella forward and it soared past  
Ranma and Akane, who both casually dodged it as if it  
weren't even a consideration. The crowd behind them,  
however, about the gates of the high school produced  
many assorted cries of alarm including one  
particularly familiar shriek as the umbrella passed  
over the wall on it's return path.  
There was a loud crack and the umbrella wobbled back  
to Ryouga with part of it's circle splintered.  
"What in the world?" Ryouga asked as he gripped his  
umbrella and tried to put the bamboo back in one  
piece.  
"Oh, look," someone said looking past the wall into  
the sidewalk next to the street. "Isn't that Akane's  
younger sister?" Akane and Ranma froze for half a  
moment before rushing to the gate and looking over to  
see Tarre sprawled across the ground with a small box  
held protectively in her hands.  
"Tarre!" Akane shouted, panicked. She rushed to her  
sister's side to ascertain that the girl was still  
alive but hesitated to check her further.  
"I got her," Ranma said insistantly, gently probing  
her skull around the cut on her head and breathing a  
sigh of relief to find that her skull was not cracked.  
"She should be fine. Let's get her to that doc to be  
sure."  
"Where is that jerk!" Akane demanded, looking around  
for Ryouga.  
"Probably got lost again," Ranma said.  
"When I get my hands on him!" Akane growled.  
"Can you get her feet?" Ranma asked quickly.  
"You need my help to carry her?" Akane asked,  
surprised. She knew Tarre was heavier than the slim  
girl looked, but she couldn't be that heavy. Kasumi  
carried her fine.  
"I want to carry flat, y' know?" Ranma said. "Ain't  
you supposed to do that?"  
"Tarre's the first aid expert, not me!" Akane said.  
"Well she's unconscious," Ranma said. "So get her  
feet."  
"When I get my hands on that jerk!" Akane growled.   
"Endangering innocent bystanders that way!"  
  
*****  
  
"RANMA!!!" Ryouga shouted angrily. "How dare you run  
away again! I won't fall for such a cheap trick next  
time." He was blissfully unaware of the results of  
his carelessness.  
  
*****  
  
:"She's going to be fine," Dr. Tofu said. "Just a  
small bump on the head. What happened anyway."  
"SOME people don't know how to keep innocent  
bystanders out of their affairs," Akane said, glaring  
at Ranma.  
"Hey! It was Ryouga," Ranma said. "I wasn't even  
fighting."  
"He was after you," Akane retorted.  
"Akane," Dr. Tofu said. "Do you control Kuno's  
actions?"  
"No," Akane said. "Of course not!"  
"Then how can you expect Ranma to control his  
enemiies' actions?" Dr. Tofu asked. Akane opened her  
mouth and then acquired a perplexed look before  
deflating and considering the question.  
"Fine," Akane said. "But I have first rights to this  
jerk!" Ranma twitched.  
"In that case," Ranma said. "We begin your training  
when we get home."  
"Huh?" Akane said. "Why?"  
"Because you're going to need it," Ranma said.   
Tarre's voice speaking a harsh, guttural string of  
scared gibberish drifted back from the other room.  
"She must be waking up," Dr. Tofu said, going back  
into the examination room. Akane and Ranma followed  
her, entering the room in time to see Tarre sit up  
straight upright.  
"What? Where?" Tarre asked as she looked around.   
"Onechan, Dr Tofu, what happened?"  
"Oh, thank the kami," Akane said in relief. "One of  
Ranma's enemies accidentally hit you, but I'm going to  
teach him to mess with you."  
"You have concussion. Same rules as last time," Dr.  
Tofu said. "Take it easy today, let someone else do  
the chores for you."  
"I understand," Tarre said.  
"Last time?" Ranma repeated to himself quietly.  
"Don't worry," Akane said. "I'll fix dinner  
tonight!"  
Tarre was still dark grey, but it was a dark grey  
that apparently still seemed very much wanted to be  
white, or at the very least medium gray.  
  
*****  
  
"Really, Saotome," Soun said. "You should come with  
us to go out to eat."  
"But your daughter is going to cook for us, and Ranma  
wants to get started on her training today," Genma  
said. Then he leaned in whispering. "Besides this is  
the perfect chance to get some romance in between the  
two children."  
"No, Saotome," Soun said. "You don't understand, my  
daughter..."  
"Oh, dad," Akane said. "I thought you had to go to a  
city council meeting. This is great! You'll be able  
to have dinner after all. Nabiki already left for a  
study group, and Tarre said she was feeling like she  
couldn't eat so..."  
"Oh, yes!" Soun declared. "The council meeting! I  
must leave!" And with that he was gone, leaving the  
Saotomes to their fate.  
  
*****  
  
"Ranma-san," Tarre said quietly. "About Oneechan's  
cooking." She looked about cautiously.  
"What about it?" Ranma asked.  
"It is quite," Tarre searched for words.   
"Undescribeable without the selection of swear words  
available in the goblin language."  
"That means its bad right?" Ranma asked.  
"Very bad," Tarre said.  
"I guess that's my punishment for letting Ryouga  
endanger innocents then," Ranma said. He studiously  
ignored the fact that the picture he'd had framed for  
her was now back on the wall.  
"Ranma-san," she said. "You don't know what you're  
talking about."  
"Don't worry," Ranma said haphazardly. "I once went  
two months living on nothing but water, horseradish  
and goulash. I can eat anything."  
  
*****  
  
"You should have gone out with us, Saotome," Kasumi  
said to the seemingly insensate Ranma and Genma. She  
didn't make it clear wheteer she was talking to a  
specific Saotome or not.  
"The path of a true martial artist is frought with  
peril," Soun said sagely.  
"He ate the whole thing," Tarre said in an awed tone.  
"Honestly," Akane said, growling. "All that over a  
little piece of chicken. Maybe I should have cooked  
it longer."  
"Where's his father?" Nabiki asked.  
"He said something about crawling off someplace to  
die," Akane said irritably. "Really, he's supposed to  
be training me."  
  
*****  
  
"Ranma," Nabiki said as she walked in. "You've got  
some mail. From somebody named..." the envelope  
vanished from her hand.  
"Ryouga," Akane growled angrily, tearing open the  
envelope and reading the letter.  
"Akane," Nabiki said. "That's Ranma's."  
"Ranma!" Akane demanded. "This is a challenge for  
yesterday!!! I missed him!!!"  
"No you haven't," Ranma said haphazardly. "It'll be  
at least two weeks before gets here, plenty of time to  
do some training."  
"Why are you giving me that evil look?" Akane asked,  
her anger deflating for a moment.  
"The 'leftover' bento," Ranma said.  
"Oh come on," Akane said. "It wasn't THAT bad."  
"Well, what I have in mind won't be THAT bad," Ranma  
said, smiling.  
"Ranma-san," Tarre said. "Why does this Ryouga  
person want to kill you?"  
"I don't know," Ranma said shrugging. "All I can  
think of is the bread thing."  
"Bread thing?" Tarre asked.  
"Yeah," Ranma said. "From our old school." Ranma  
explained the bread fued to the assorted girls,  
receiving a collection of assorted looks.  
"Sounds like the straws the broke the camel's back,"  
Akane said dryly.  
"Still, I don't think this is about bread," Ranma  
said. "He actually sounds serious this time."  
"This time?" Tarre repeated.  
"Yeah," Ranma said. "He even signed the challenge  
letter."  
"Prepare to die, Your Friend, Ryouga Hibiki," Nabiki  
read aloud dryly. "PS. If you see my parents or  
sister say 'hello' for me."  
"See?" Ranma said. "He's being formal and junk."  
"Well," Akane said. "Whatever it is, I have first  
crack at him."  
"If you want," Ranma said. "Now, that training." He  
smiled evily.  
"What's first?" Akane asked.  
"Falls," Ranma said.  
  
*****  
  
"Saotome, what is that sound?" Soun asked.  
"Ranma is teaching Akane how to fall," Genma said.  
"Oh," Soun said. "I see."  
They both went back to their shogi game, listening to  
the sound of a Akane demanding that Ranma let her  
stand all the way up before pushing her down. 


End file.
